Elementary Classroom Field Reflection
1. What form of arts integration or interdisciplinary learning units have you observed? In what ways were the visual forms investigated, learned, discussed, or produced in the classroom?
In my third grade classroom, I have been able to see a writing and arts integration lesson. Students were investigating poetry and were prompted to create their own poem about themselves. After writing the poems, students were asked to create a self-portrait from magazine cutouts of their choice. They were asked to think about themselves when choosing anything from the magazines, and to think about their poems when constructing their portrait.
2. Was there a Big Idea or theme used? If so describe. Were students working with narrative, observation, imagination, and / or visual thinking?
Students were asked to think about themselves and portray themselves with a collage technique. Students were working with their own poems to describe themselves and then do the same with their art. This could be used as visual thinking or as narrative.
Although there could be some Big Ideas pulled from this lesson, I had a hard time finding something that was a core concept or idea that the students or I could focus on. I know students were asked to think about their identity, but in a way, I felt there was a lack of meaningful integration for student learning.
3. What suggestions would you have for integration and interdisciplinary learning for this unit or lesson you observed? Try to think how you could make the learning more meaningful, connected, and deeper. Be specific.
In order to make the integration worthwhile, I would have liked to show some different pieces from famous artists to show the students examples of a collage piece, or a self-portrait. This would allow students to see examples and see how other famous artists used written work, and art as a form of expression.
I would really think about integrating more Big Ideas into my classroom, other than just drawing and focusing on writing integration. I would really like to see students focusing on the core concept at hand, while really digging deeper into the core content. Art integration isn't an add-on, it's a huge tool to help students succeed and learn in a different way than just a normal textbook and worksheet.
In my third grade classroom, I have been able to see a writing and arts integration lesson. Students were investigating poetry and were prompted to create their own poem about themselves. After writing the poems, students were asked to create a self-portrait from magazine cutouts of their choice. They were asked to think about themselves when choosing anything from the magazines, and to think about their poems when constructing their portrait.
2. Was there a Big Idea or theme used? If so describe. Were students working with narrative, observation, imagination, and / or visual thinking?
Students were asked to think about themselves and portray themselves with a collage technique. Students were working with their own poems to describe themselves and then do the same with their art. This could be used as visual thinking or as narrative.
Although there could be some Big Ideas pulled from this lesson, I had a hard time finding something that was a core concept or idea that the students or I could focus on. I know students were asked to think about their identity, but in a way, I felt there was a lack of meaningful integration for student learning.
3. What suggestions would you have for integration and interdisciplinary learning for this unit or lesson you observed? Try to think how you could make the learning more meaningful, connected, and deeper. Be specific.
In order to make the integration worthwhile, I would have liked to show some different pieces from famous artists to show the students examples of a collage piece, or a self-portrait. This would allow students to see examples and see how other famous artists used written work, and art as a form of expression.
I would really think about integrating more Big Ideas into my classroom, other than just drawing and focusing on writing integration. I would really like to see students focusing on the core concept at hand, while really digging deeper into the core content. Art integration isn't an add-on, it's a huge tool to help students succeed and learn in a different way than just a normal textbook and worksheet.
Art Classroom Field Reflection
1. The content of the lesson, written and spoken objects, and resources used
Students had previously been working on sketching simple objects they could make into clay sculptures. Each student was provided a small sketchbook, and each student was to have sketched four different ideas. These objects or ideas had to be purely their own ideas, not copied from another source. In the art class I observed, students were asked to sculpt the sketches they had drawn in the previous class. Students were given a small chunk of class in order to sculpt their object. Students had about an hour to complete their sculpture. The two main concepts students were learning were, what a sculpture is, and how to work with clay. It was said, “sculptures are something you can see all the way around and can walk around it because it isn’t laying flat.” If the clay sculptures were lying flat, students were told to create a base for their object in order to transform it into a sculpture. Students were also focusing on “scoring and slipping.” This was said to, “keep the clay from falling apart in the kiln.” After the hour was up, almost all students were finished with their sculpture. Each sculpture would be fired and then displayed downtown for walkers and shoppers to view.
2. The teacher, he teaching strategies and format/ process of the lesson as presented
When the students walked into the classroom, they knew exactly what to do. The class was supposed to sit on assigned spots on the large carpet in front of the smart board, and remain quiet until further instructions. The teacher was extremely calm and quiet, creating a more relaxed environment for the students. After all of the students were still and quiet, the teacher then began to explain the directions. The teacher went through what they previously did in the past class and then reviewed what a sculpture was, as well as focusing on “scoring and slipping.” They were then supposed to come grab their sketchbooks from me, and then quietly go to a seat where there was a piece of cloth for the clay work. Then, students were handed chunks of the clay by the teacher and told to go ahead and start working on their sculpture. Students were helped by both the teacher and I throughout the class, but were given full creativity the entire time. Students were encouraged to work, as they wanted to, but keep the noise level to a minimum. Students were given a 10-minute warning to start finishing up their sculptures and then start to clean up. After, students were praised on how great of a job they did on their artwork and behavior.
3. Student engagement of the lesson, classroom atmosphere, and environment
Every single student was involved in this lesson. Students were very calm and happy to participate in creating a sculpture. The classroom wasn’t how I would organize it, but neither the teacher nor the students seemed to mind. Each student followed directions better than they did in the regular classroom. Students were extremely happy to listen to the teacher and were overly happy to participate in sharing their work when given the option. The teacher kept the classroom atmosphere very calm and creative. Students were given full creative decisions, which gave students confidence.
4. Classroom behavior management
The teacher remained calm and collected the entire class period. She was only positive, and never mentioned any bad behavior. She only praised good behavior, which caused other students to behave in the same way. Throughout the class she would stop and smile if the noise level was too loud when she was talking. Students knew their routine, and knew what to do when she would allow them to move from the main carpet. Throughout the class period, the teacher and I would move through the class to see if any students needed help or needed assistance. The students were given warning as to how long they had to finish their art piece, and were then asked to clean up their spot, and then some students were given specific jobs to help finish the clean up process.
5. Compare the art classroom to the regular classroom in regards to the teaching strategies, lesson presentation, student engagement, classroom atmosphere, environment, and behavior management
During class in the art classroom, students seemed a lot more engaged and happy to be participating. Each student was clearly ready to get involved and do their best to follow directions. Although when art was integrated in the regular classroom, students were happy to be doing their best on their project, students seemed to be less willing to participate and seemed almost confused about what they were supposed to be doing. In the art classroom, student did not want to get in trouble because they wanted to finish their sculpture and present it to the class. In the regular classroom, directions and purpose were not as clear because writing was the main big idea, not art. It seemed art was an add-on, versus a type of integration. In the classroom, it seemed a lot more scattered, even though the classroom was more clean and organized in the environmental aspects. Behavior management was the same as when they were to be doing a regular lesson, which ended up presenting some behavior issues. The art classroom seemed more calm and more of a positive and encouraging area for artistic development.
Students had previously been working on sketching simple objects they could make into clay sculptures. Each student was provided a small sketchbook, and each student was to have sketched four different ideas. These objects or ideas had to be purely their own ideas, not copied from another source. In the art class I observed, students were asked to sculpt the sketches they had drawn in the previous class. Students were given a small chunk of class in order to sculpt their object. Students had about an hour to complete their sculpture. The two main concepts students were learning were, what a sculpture is, and how to work with clay. It was said, “sculptures are something you can see all the way around and can walk around it because it isn’t laying flat.” If the clay sculptures were lying flat, students were told to create a base for their object in order to transform it into a sculpture. Students were also focusing on “scoring and slipping.” This was said to, “keep the clay from falling apart in the kiln.” After the hour was up, almost all students were finished with their sculpture. Each sculpture would be fired and then displayed downtown for walkers and shoppers to view.
2. The teacher, he teaching strategies and format/ process of the lesson as presented
When the students walked into the classroom, they knew exactly what to do. The class was supposed to sit on assigned spots on the large carpet in front of the smart board, and remain quiet until further instructions. The teacher was extremely calm and quiet, creating a more relaxed environment for the students. After all of the students were still and quiet, the teacher then began to explain the directions. The teacher went through what they previously did in the past class and then reviewed what a sculpture was, as well as focusing on “scoring and slipping.” They were then supposed to come grab their sketchbooks from me, and then quietly go to a seat where there was a piece of cloth for the clay work. Then, students were handed chunks of the clay by the teacher and told to go ahead and start working on their sculpture. Students were helped by both the teacher and I throughout the class, but were given full creativity the entire time. Students were encouraged to work, as they wanted to, but keep the noise level to a minimum. Students were given a 10-minute warning to start finishing up their sculptures and then start to clean up. After, students were praised on how great of a job they did on their artwork and behavior.
3. Student engagement of the lesson, classroom atmosphere, and environment
Every single student was involved in this lesson. Students were very calm and happy to participate in creating a sculpture. The classroom wasn’t how I would organize it, but neither the teacher nor the students seemed to mind. Each student followed directions better than they did in the regular classroom. Students were extremely happy to listen to the teacher and were overly happy to participate in sharing their work when given the option. The teacher kept the classroom atmosphere very calm and creative. Students were given full creative decisions, which gave students confidence.
4. Classroom behavior management
The teacher remained calm and collected the entire class period. She was only positive, and never mentioned any bad behavior. She only praised good behavior, which caused other students to behave in the same way. Throughout the class she would stop and smile if the noise level was too loud when she was talking. Students knew their routine, and knew what to do when she would allow them to move from the main carpet. Throughout the class period, the teacher and I would move through the class to see if any students needed help or needed assistance. The students were given warning as to how long they had to finish their art piece, and were then asked to clean up their spot, and then some students were given specific jobs to help finish the clean up process.
5. Compare the art classroom to the regular classroom in regards to the teaching strategies, lesson presentation, student engagement, classroom atmosphere, environment, and behavior management
During class in the art classroom, students seemed a lot more engaged and happy to be participating. Each student was clearly ready to get involved and do their best to follow directions. Although when art was integrated in the regular classroom, students were happy to be doing their best on their project, students seemed to be less willing to participate and seemed almost confused about what they were supposed to be doing. In the art classroom, student did not want to get in trouble because they wanted to finish their sculpture and present it to the class. In the regular classroom, directions and purpose were not as clear because writing was the main big idea, not art. It seemed art was an add-on, versus a type of integration. In the classroom, it seemed a lot more scattered, even though the classroom was more clean and organized in the environmental aspects. Behavior management was the same as when they were to be doing a regular lesson, which ended up presenting some behavior issues. The art classroom seemed more calm and more of a positive and encouraging area for artistic development.